John Douglas Connon was born April 7, 1916, at Calgary, Alberta, the son of John and Elizabeth Ann Connon, and the brother of James Henry, Albert Adam, Ruth, Bernice, Dorothy, Alba, Clarice, Cara, Margaret, and Robert Connon (who died in 1917). Raised and educated in Calgary during his youth, John and his family later moved to New Westminster, British Columbia, where he completed Grade 11 in 1931. Following school, he returned to Alberta and worked as a truck driver. While living at Gadsby, Alberta, John enlisted with The Calgary Highlanders at Calgary on November 5, 1939. Granted permission to marry in January 1940, he went overseas in September 1940 and served with the Royal Canadian Infantry Corps during the Second World War as a Private with the 1st Battalion, The Calgary Highlanders (Airaghardt). As part of the 5th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Division, The Calgary Highlanders fought in the Second Battle of Dunkirk in September 1944 in northern France and captured Loon Plage, using the village as a base for patrols along the German perimeter near Dunkirk. On September 14, 1944, John Douglas Connon was killed in action while advancing toward the village of Loon Plage after coming under artillery fire from a concealed German position. He was 28 years old. The husband of Eva Mary (née Johnson) Connon and the father of Johneen Catherine Elizabeth and William Delmer Connon, John is commemorated at the Calais Canadian War Cemetery, Leubringhen, Pas-de-Calais, France; the Calgary War Memorial, Alberta; the Castor Cenotaph, Alberta; and on Page 278 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance, Ottawa, Ontario.

"The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example." - Benjamin Disraeli